+1! to this idea!

integration with git-fat for scap deployment of binaries

We probably want to and can stop using git-fat (T279509) if we do this. We made an 'artifact syncing' tool for airflow artifacts that works with gitlab package repos, and will work with maven artifacts. We then use scap hooks (e.g. here) to run the artifact sync script to download the artifacts to the target host.

The system probably needs improvements before we can replace the git-fat system though. There is no artifact cleanup, there isn't any checksum verification after the copy (a change in the source file will not be reflected).

One notable change which makes this task more important is that Archiva development has officially stopped, quoting from https://attic.apache.org/projects/archiva.html

Apache Archiva moved into the Attic in 2024-02. Apache Archiva mission was the creation and maintenance of software related to Build Artifact Repository Manager.

I dug a little in the mailing list archives and the relevant thread appears to be https://lists.apache.org/thread/nt9prhzm57fzbwvk63lxcfps8drlh6g6

The dependence on Archiva for git-fat has been almost completely removed now, as far as I am aware. There is one patch relating to blazegraph/wdqs that is still to be merged, then we will have completed that part of it.